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TRACKER warns keyless car entry kits on Ebay for less than £100

Date: 16 January 2015

Keyless car entry kits are being marketed on eBay for less than £100 which makes them easily accessible to any car thief, warns TRACKER, the leading stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) expert. Car hacking is a growing issue for motorists with many vehicle manufacturers now adopting keyless technology. Jaguar Land Rover is the latest manufacturer to boost its vehicle security to tackle the problem.

There has been a rise in the numbers of vehicles stolen using the method, with Range Rover Evoques and Sports particularly vulnerable. In 2014 a total of 99 Land Rovers and Range Rovers were stolen and recovered by TRACKER. Of those, 72 were taken without the owner’s keys.

Andy Barrs, Police Liaison Officer for TRACKER says, “Keyless car theft is prolific in some areas of the UK. Police in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea have been instructed to stop all drivers of Range Rovers to check they own the vehicle because of the number of the cars being stolen using “keyless” entry methods. This clearly demonstrates that it is still a huge issue.

“The problem is not just confined to Range Rovers though but extends to a broad range of other premium cars including BMW, Audi, Mercedes and VW, although the current theft trend is luxury 4x4s. And you don’t even need the full car entry kit; devices that override the ignition system can be brought online for as little as £20.

“The equipment being used to steal a vehicle in this way is legitimately used by workshops to carry out routine maintenance, therefore the challenge remains, how to stop these devices ending up in the wrong hands. One step motorists can take is investing in a tracking unit. This can significantly increase the chances of a stolen car being returned to its rightful owner, and TRACKER devices come with a motion sensor that’s triggered to alert the TRACKER control centre even if the engine isn’t started,” concludes Barrs.

TRACKER is the only SVR solution to be used by all of the UK’s police forces which is why installing one of its units can significantly increase the chance of police locating and returning a stolen vehicle. TRACKER’s stolen vehicle recovery systems work like an electronic homing device. A covert transmitter is hidden in one of several dozen places around the vehicle. There is no visible aerial, so the thief won’t even know it’s there. Unlike other devices, TRACKER’s unique technology can locate stolen vehicles anywhere, even when they are hidden in a garage, container or underground car park.